Bodies of family frozen to cross the border may not return to India | The Canadian News

A family member of a family that froze to death in southern Manitoba while trying to cross the United States border said the bodies were not expected to be flown home to India for a funeral.

Amritbhai Vakil said family members decided it would be emotionally difficult to see the couple and their two children and too expensive to transport the bodies.

“Can you imagine what will happen to the parents when they see four bodies at once?” he said.

They hope there could be a funeral in Canada, Vakil added. RCMP and diplomatic officials on Thursday announced the names of the dead: Jagdish Patel, 39; his wife Vaishaliben Patel (37); their 11-year-old daughter, Vihangi Patel; and their three-year-old son, Dharmik Patel.

The family, from the Dingucha village in India’s western state of Gujarat, traveled to Toronto on January 12, Mounties said. Their frozen bodies were found in the snow seven days later, just meters from the border.

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READ MORE: Identities confirmed in death of family of 4 on Manitoba US border

A man on the American side has been arrested and charged with human trafficking. U.S. officials say he is part of an organized human trafficking business.

U.S. court documents allege Steve Shand of Deltona, Fla., Was driving a van with two Indian nationals just south of the border on Jan. 19.

The documents say five others from India were spotted in the snow walking towards the bus shortly afterwards. They told border guards that they had been walking in the freezing cold for more than 11 hours and that four others had separated from the group overnight.

One man in the group also said he paid a large sum of money to get a fake student visa in Canada and was expecting a ride to a family member’s home in Chicago after crossing the border, the documents read.

A statement from India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the High Commissioner in Ottawa and Consulate General in Toronto were working closely with Canadian authorities.

Anil Pratham, deputy director-general of Gujarat police, said he was awaiting information and guidance from Foreign Affairs to continue his investigation. Pratham said he believes the Patels used a local travel agent to get visas to Canada.

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Vakil said in a telephone interview with Dingucha that family in India had been wondering for a few days if the bodies found in Canada were their relatives. Family knew the four traveled to Canada, he said, but no one could reach them.

The family is going through complex emotions, he said.

“They knew in their hearts it was their children, but they did not want to believe it,” Vakil said.

“They had some hope, but knew it was false hope. It is also shocking and sad when what you fear most comes true. ”

The week it took for the authorities to identify the Patels helped dampen the blow, he added. “It gave us time to process our thoughts and emotions.”

He said the family is holding a 15-day mourning and prayer service in the town.

A separate service would take place in Winnipeg on Friday night.

The president of the Indian Association of Manitoba said it has worked with local organizations to put together an hour-long virtual one for community members. The group worked with Toronto consulate officials to help identify the Patels.

Ramandeep Grewal said the wish is to give community members a way to deal with their grief. With COVID-19 restrictions still in place, the groups decided to keep something online.

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Since the news of the deaths, people have reached out to share their own stories of immigration to the U.S. or Canada, Grewal said.

“I think it is very important that everyone gets together and talks about it. “It’s a little soothing for everyone,” he said.

“Otherwise people just think about… (s) that went wrong.”

© 2022 The Canadian Press



Reference-globalnews.ca

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